Always
by tribalbutterfly
Summary: COMPLETED! Sinbad has fantasies and dreams of Maeve - leaves him wondering if he is going crazy. Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters from The Adventures Of Sinbad
1. What Dreams May Come

Chapter 1  
  
He looked up at the sky and sighed. Something was missing from his life - something had been missing ever since she had left.  
  
He closed his eyes briefly in pain. He had loved her so much and yet had never gotten the chance to tell her his true feelings. They had shared a couple of kisses in the past and the meeting of their lips had made his heart sing.  
  
A footfall behind him made him turn and he smiled at the newest addition to his crew. Bryn - a petite, pretty brunette - stood there, Dermott, the hawk, perched on her arm. Sinbad reached out and ruffled the bird's soft feathers.  
  
"Hey you two," he said. "What are you guys doing up at this hour?"  
  
"We couldn't sleep," Bryn replied. "Don't you feel it Sinbad? Something is going to happen soon. Something big."  
  
He cocked his head to the side. She looked at his silky shoulder-length hair and found herself wanting to run her fingers through the dark strands. His face was cast in shadow but instinctively she knew what had been on his mind. Her. Maeve - the gorgeous Celtic sorceress that had been washed overboard.  
  
Bryn had heard bits and pieces of the crew's life with Maeve - things that she had gathered from the two years that she had been with the crew. Maeve's name was hardly ever spoken and if it was, there descended such an air of unhappiness, that the topic was switched quickly.  
  
She walked up beside him and rested her arms on the railing of the boat. She stared out at the glittering black water and said softly, "You can tell me about her, you know."  
  
He turned to her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Who?"  
  
She laughed softly. "Don't beat around the bush Sinbad. Everybody knows that you have feelings for Maeve." She turned to face him. "We all know that she holds your heart."  
  
He exhaled heavily and turned back to stare at the water. "After all this time - I would have sworn that my feelings for her would have faded - even slightly. But they haven't. And I'm afraid that I can't give myself to another woman." He turned to her, his eyes blazing with intensity. "I've been celibate ever since I met her, goddamn it!"  
  
Bryn's mouth dropped open. That woman had to be a GODDESS! For someone to get a gorgeous, virile man like the sailor to commit themselves totally to them, took an unbelievable amount of something special.  
  
She smiled sadly at what she would never have and patted his arm. "Keep hoping Sinbad. You'll find her someday."  
  
With that, she walked off to bed.  
  
*****************************************  
  
Sinbad stood there after Bryn left, staring at the stars. He felt it too, this certainty that his life was going to change - and soon.  
  
He smiled once to himself and went below deck.  
  
********************************************  
  
Her scent filled his senses. That light, fragrance that reminded him of vanilla. He once joked about how it made him feel like licking her to see if she tasted as good as she smelt.  
  
She had punched him in the stomach.  
  
He opened his eyes, his gaze coming to rest on the woman standing by the window. Her hair was longer than he remembered; now it fell almost to her hips. But it was the same rich, copper color that had so enchanted him when he had first met her.  
  
"Maeve," it came out barely louder than a whisper but she heard. She spun around, her glorious amber eyes lighting up at the sight of him.  
  
She walked to the bed and sat upon it. "Sinbad," she breathed. She raised a slender hand to touch his cheek. "It's really you." Then, she frowned. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Where is here?" he asked in bewilderment.  
  
"A place between worlds. Somewhere where I can practice my magic in peace," she told him. "What I DON'T understand is why you are here."  
  
"I'm just as confused as you are. One moment I was asleep, and the next, here I am. Not that I have a problem with seeing you again....." His voice trailed off and he traced her lips with his finger.  
  
She gasped softly and he leaned in, brushing her mouth with his. He felt her response almost instantly and he deepened the kiss, giving leeway to all of the feelings that he had kept pent up for the past years.  
  
She wrapped her long, slim arms around his neck and he fell back on the bed, taking her with him. His hand found his way below the short, white dress that she had on, and discovering that she wore nothing underneath.  
  
She moaned as his fingers found her and began caressing her most sensitive spot. Her hips moved in with the rhythm that he set and their tongues followed in the dance, dueling with each other.  
  
She cried out as her climax overtook her and he kissed her deeply. Her eager hands pulled at his shirt and soon the garment was free and lying on the floor. She ran her hands along his smooth back, relishing the feel of the hot skin below her fingers.  
  
His fingers fumbled with the tight black leather pants and he cursed himself for falling asleep in them. Finally he peeled them off and then pulled the dress off Maeve.  
  
She looked up at him, his exquisite silver-blue eyes dark with desire. She knew that this man completed her - made her whole. Without him, her life was nothing and she was nothing.  
  
His breath caught at the picture she made, the creamy skinned temptress, lying seductively amongst the white sheets, her long hair spread over the pillow. He bent down and placed a kiss upon her neck and moved lower.  
  
She squirmed as he proceeded to pleasure her until she couldn't think, then he slipped inside of her, easily taking her virginity. Maeve barely flinched at the stretching sensation and then her instincts took over and she began to move with him.  
  
They followed the rhythm until finally, they exploded as one, their cries mingling in the silent air. It was as if the world had stopped to give them that one moment....and maybe it had.  
  
They fell asleep, arms clasped tightly around each other, smiles of contentment on their faces.  
  
*********************************************  
  
The sound of knocking rose Sinbad from his slumber. He opened his eyes groggily and reached for Maeve. He frowned as he noted that the space beside him was empty and he rubbed his hands over his face as he recalled the dream that he had last night. It seemed so real, so erotic.  
  
Maeve, he thought and smiled. It was the first time in years that he could think of her and not feel pain. He closed his eyes and got up to answer the door, only to realize that he was stark naked.  
  
"Whoa," he murmured, "That was SOME dream."  
  
He pulled on a baggy pair of pants and opened the door. Doubar stood outside and he raised an eyebrow at Sinbad's disheveled appearance.  
  
"Hard night?" he asked.  
  
Sinbad groaned. "You have no idea."  
  
**************************************** 


	2. Breaking Point

Chapter 2  
  
Sinbad stared at himself in the mirror. He had felt the urge to rid himself of the beard that he had wore for the past couple of years so he picked up a razor and rid himself of the facial hair. After that, he had trimmed his hair, bringing it back to the same length that it was before he had lost Maeve.  
  
He smiled, remembering how much she had hated his new look and how much she had complained about his beard. He had planned to get rid of it when he they had sailed into port, but then Maeve had been washed overboard and he just didn't bother.  
  
He tied his now short hair back with a red bandana and made his way above deck. The first person to see him was Doubar who did a double take when he saw him.  
  
"Sinbad?" he asked in disbelief. "What happened to your beard?"  
  
Sinbad ran his hand over his now smooth cheeks and gave a wry grin. "Shaved it off. It was starting to bother me."  
  
"And your hair!" his brother exclaimed. "You cut it off!"  
  
Sinbad laughed - the full-bodied sound that his crew had not heard since the disappearance of Maeve.  
  
All activity on deck ceased as the crew wondered what had happened to make their captain so happy. Their eyes widened at his new appearance and they began to smile. To them it seemed as if he had finally come to terms with Maeve's disappearance.  
  
***********************************  
  
The sorceress watched them in the ship - saw their elation at their captain's joy. A cruel smile curved over her full red lips.  
  
Soon, she thought, soon, those smiles will turn to tears. I will bring you low Sinbad...and I know exactly the way to do it.  
  
*********************************  
  
She looked up at him, love in her large amber eyes. Slowly, she raised a hand to caress his cheek.  
  
"You shaved it off," she murmured.  
  
"I knew you hated it," he said. Then he gave her a wicked grin. "Besides, I wouldn't want to scratch that lovely skin."  
  
She drew his head down for a kiss, a long deep one that said all that she couldn't put into words. She was never the fluent one - he knew that - except when she was angry.  
  
They had just finished making love and they lay, sprawled on the sheets, the sweat drying on their bodies. Her head was pillowed on his chest and she idly traced his ribs as he absently played with her hair.  
  
He placed a hand under her chin as he brought her eyes up to his. "What is going to happen to us Maeve?"  
  
She lowered her gaze. "I don't know. I want to be with you Sinbad."  
  
"Then be with me!" he stated fiercely. "Leave here and come back with me!"  
  
Tears coursed down her cheeks. "I can't."  
  
With that, his surroundings began to fade.  
  
"No!" he cried. "Maeve!"  
  
And the world went black.  
  
************************************************  
  
Sinbad lurched upright in bed, his heart pounding wildly. He rubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath. Those damn dreams again!  
  
He had been having them almost nightly and things were reaching boiling point. He felt as if he was going insane - being able to dream about the closeness that they'd never had when she was with him - and then waking up the next morning to the memory of her soft body pressed against his.  
  
He couldn't take it anymore and he knew that the crew was beginning to worry. He had seen the worried looks in their eyes when he seemed to drift off in the middle of conversations and when they heard him sometimes shout out in the night, calling out Maeve's name, he knew it freaked them out.  
  
Pulling on his leather pants and a loose white shirt, he made his way to the top deck where he breathed in the night air. He glanced to the side where Dermott the hawk was perched, watching him.  
  
The bird's golden eyes reminded him of Maeve's and he turned away. Dermott chirped softly and Sinbad sighed.  
  
"I'm not angry with you, featherbrain." He looked at the sea. "It's just that I miss her so much sometimes."  
  
Dermott fluttered onto Sinbad's shoulders and the sailor looked at him in surprise. "I thought that you didn't like me."  
  
Dermott made a sound that was suspiciously like a chuckle and rubbed his head affectionately across the sailor's hair. Then he took to the air, making a circle around the ship.  
  
Sinbad watched in amazement. Had Dermott finally accepted him?  
  
Pondering this new turn of events, he didn't notice the figure standing behind him until she spoke.  
  
"Well, how sweet."  
  
Sinbad spun around to face the beautiful, dark haired woman.  
  
"Rumina!" he exclaimed.  
  
"In the flesh darling," she purred.  
  
******************************************************** 


	3. Release

Chapter 3  
  
She closed her eyes, remembering the dreams that she had been experiencing lately. They featured Sinbad and herself and the handsome sailor had given her endless pleasure throughout the nights.  
  
She recalled the rapture that she had felt when his hands and lips caressed her body, making her scream in bliss. She loved doing the same to him - taking him over the edge, making him lose all control, hearing him call out her name.  
  
She sighed in regret. Too much time had passed - too much things had happened. What if when they met once again, he no longer had feelings for her? She knew that there was a new girl on the Nomad, a pretty sorceress named Bryn. Did she now hold Sinbad's heart?  
  
Suddenly, Maeve opened her eyes in alarm. Something was wrong. She could sense incredible danger surrounding Sinbad and she knew that the time had come to go back to him. Her training was complete and she was finally strong enough to hold her own against Rumina.  
  
Raising her hands in the air, she chanted an incantation that transported her from the world in which she felt safe, to the world of the man she loved.  
  
********************************  
  
Sinbad faced the witch, his sword drawn and ready for combat. She laughed throatily and made a disdainful gesture.  
  
"Do you really expect that little piece of steel to hurt me? Oh come on Sinbad, I thought that you would have known better by now."  
  
She waved her hand negligently and his sword flew out of his hand and across the deck. Her dark eyes blazed with unholy fire.  
  
"You will pay for destroying my life," she hissed, her beautiful face transforming in her rage. "I will obliterate you and all that you care for."  
  
"Not bloody likely," a voice said behind them.  
  
They both looked in the direction of the newcomer and their jaws dropped. Maeve stood primed for battle, her sword in one hand and a glowing fireball in the next.  
  
She threw the orb at Rumina, knocking the other sorceress off her feet. Rumina snarled and got back up, gathering her power.  
  
She flung an arc of blue light towards Maeve, who contemptuously swatted it away as if it was a bothersome fly. Rumina's eyes widened and she cursed.  
  
"You've grown stronger, you little peasant bitch," she spat.  
  
Maeve smiled sardonically. "Does it show?"  
  
Rumina gathered her forces, and prepared to launch a full-scale attack on the fiery haired woman. Maeve laughed in anticipation and began a counter spell.  
  
Sinbad stared in stunned disbelief at the battle going on before his eyes. Maeve was actually here! His eyes drank in the sight of her, standing so tall and unafraid - her long copper curls, cascading over her shoulders, gilded silver in the moonlight. She wore a short dress of a rich, burgundy color, and her black boots came halfway up her calves.  
  
He wanted to call her name but he feared distracting her and causing her to lose the fight, so he stayed silent.  
  
Maeve circled Rumina, her eyes taunting her arch-rival. Rumina began to feel fear as she realized that the sorceress was now more powerful than she had anticipated. She deduced that the only way to survive tonight was to disappear and return another day after studying her opponent's strengths and weaknesses.  
  
She murmured a spell under her breath, but it was too late. Maeve's sword sliced through her neck and Rumina vanished with an unearthly scream.  
  
Maeve fell to her knees, tears of joy and relief streaming down her cheeks. It's over, she thought, finally, after all of these years. It's over.  
  
Sinbad went to Maeve and knelt beside her. He knew that soon the crew would be coming up for Rumina's death scream had been loud enough to, well...wake the dead.  
  
He tenderly placed two fingers below her chin and brought her face up to his.  
  
"Tears?" he questioned softly.  
  
Maeve sobbed, and flung her arms around his neck.  
  
"Oh Sinbad! It's finally over...all those years of pain and uncertainty. She's dead!"  
  
She pushed away from him. "Dermott? Where is he?"  
  
"Dermott is fine. He was flying around the ship the last time I saw him."  
  
"NO!" Maeve cried out. She ran to the railing and looked out. "Dermott!" she called, studying the ocean.  
  
"Uh, Maeve, shouldn't you be looking up?" Sinbad suggested helpfully.  
  
She ignored him, because just then her ears picked up a faint splashing and she could make out a shape swimming towards the ship.  
  
"Oh, thank God!" she breathed in relief. She waved her hand and caused the person to levitate, depositing them gently on deck.  
  
Sinbad stared in astonishment at the tall, well-built man who stood naked before them. Maeve laughed in delight and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. Sinbad felt a stab of jealousy that lasted until Maeve turned to him.  
  
"Sinbad, this is my brother...Dermott."  
  
Sinbad did a double take. "Your...WHAT?"  
  
It was then that he noticed the strong resemblance between the two. Dermott extended his hand and Sinbad grasped it firmly.  
  
"Pleased to finally get to talk to you personally Dermott," he smiled.  
  
Dermott grinned wryly. "I feel the same way, Sinbad," he said in a low, melodious voice. "Although, I would have preferred our first meeting to be with me having on some sort of covering."  
  
Maeve laughed. "A problem easily rectified, big brother."  
  
She waved her hand and Dermott was instantly clad in clothes similar to Sinbad, the only differences being that the leather pants on her brother were of a dark brown color and the shirt was cream.  
  
Just then, the rest of the crew came aboard, and Dermott breathed a sigh of relief. The men pulled up short at the sight of Maeve and the copper- haired stranger standing next to their captain, and then erupted into cheers and laughter.  
  
They rushed Maeve and pulled her into hugs and kisses, exclaiming over her and telling her how glad they were to have her back.  
  
Maeve fought back tears as she surveyed her former crewmates - especially Doubar, Rongar and Firouz. Her amber gaze fell on the petite girl standing at the back of the crowd and she sobered.  
  
Walking up to Bryn, Maeve held out a hand. "Hello, Bryn. I've heard much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."  
  
Bryn looked at her, startled. Maeve was even more beautiful than she had thought and she could now see why she had captured Sinbad's heart. She could sense no ill will from the other woman, so Bryn smiled widely and clasped the redhead's hand.  
  
"Likewise, Maeve."  
  
Maeve then turned to Dermott and brought him forward. "Everybody, I'd like you to meet my brother...Dermott."  
  
The crew gasped in amazement and Maeve grinned. "Yes, he was the hawk."  
  
Dermott stepped forward and proceeded to charm the crew by thanking them for taking care of him in his vulnerable form and accepting him. His eyes, no longer that of the feathered predator, were now a deep, mossy green that sparkled with humor and exuberance.  
  
Sinbad laughed and clapped Dermott on the back. The two men shared similar height and build and were both extraordinarily handsome.  
  
Maeve groaned inwardly as she watched her brother next to the captain.  
  
I see trouble, she thought wryly. The two of them are going to be beating off the women with sticks.  
  
Bryn was having the same thoughts. She was still in shock that the hawk that she had carried on her arm for the past two years was in reality an incredibly good-looking man - one that - she flushed fiercely - she had changed and bathed in front of on many occasions.  
  
Just then, the object of her thoughts looked over at her and winked, while at the same time giving her a wicked grin.  
  
She frowned fiercely at him, mentally cursing the damned man. The bugger! This was war!  
  
Maeve smiled secretively, picking up on the signals floating around her. Things were about to get pretty interesting aboard the Nomad....  
  
**************************************** 


	4. Tensions Rising

First of all I'd like to thank you guys for the reviews - the things that were said were really encouraging and I appreciate them. Thanks again guys and I hope that I can keep you interested!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Maeve sat at the helm, watching the ocean. In the background, she could hear Sinbad shouting orders to the crew and she smiled sadly.  
  
She had been back for two weeks now and the relationship between her and the sailor had reverted to the way that they used to behave before she left - the glances, innuendos, quick touches.  
  
It was driving her up a wall and she felt as if she was going insane. The only thing that created a diversion for her was seeing Bryn and Dermott and the way that they interacted with each other. Maeve found herself highly amused by their antics - especially the day before, when Bryn had finally lost her temper and doused Dermott with a tub of cold seawater.  
  
Speak of the devil, Maeve thought, as she heard voices belonging to the pair raised in anger. She stood up and brushed off her skirt. Might as well stop them from frying each other to a crisp.  
  
She walked to the other side of the deck where Bryn faced Dermott, her pretty face flushed with anger. She turned as she heard footsteps and her features lit up in relief.  
  
"Maeve! Thank God! I was just about to fry your brother."  
  
"Again?" Maeve teased.  
  
Dermott shot her a fierce look. "She caught me unaware that's all."  
  
Maeve laughed. "Well D, you have to admit - it WAS a pretty good shot."  
  
Dermott growled low in his throat. "Who's side are you on anyways sis?"  
  
Maeve gave him her most innocent look. "Who? Me?"  
  
Bryn smothered a laugh. In the past two weeks, she and Maeve had grown incredibly close and Maeve had been teaching her how to control her powers. She had also been giving her brother pointers as well, for Dermott had some level of powers and although it wasn't as strong as Maeve's or even Bryn's it was sufficient to help out in times of need.  
  
She studied Maeve's brother; dressed today in a large dark green shirt and loose white pants. He had a sword attached to his waist and his hair was tied back with a white bandana. Bryn had noticed the way the women at the last two ports threw themselves at him when the Nomad docked and she could honestly not tell who got more female attention between him and Sinbad.  
  
She could tell that Maeve was not happy with the 'ladies' that were constantly underfoot but she also knew that the leggy sorceress had nothing to worry about. However, she had noticed that relations between Sinbad and Maeve had deteriorated and they both seemed constantly on edge and unhappy.  
  
She wanted to hit the two of them over their heads. It was so obvious to all that they were in love with each other; why didn't one of them swallow their damned pride and SAY something?  
  
She cut her musings short as Maeve socked her brother in the stomach.  
  
Dermott inhaled sharply and narrowed his eyes at his sister. "Oh no you didn't!"  
  
He lunged at her and she nimbly sidestepped him, laughing. He grinned as she drew her sword and assumed a fighting position.  
  
He pulled his as well and the two siblings began to spar in a graceful, yet deadly dance. They both laughed aloud at the exhilaration, the rush and thrall of danger.  
  
Sinbad and the other crewmembers rushed to the area, drawn by the sound of steel against steel. They pulled up short at the sight of the two beautiful magicians dueling with each other, Maeve's blade surrounded with a golden glow and Dermott's awash in a green light. It was a trick that Maeve had taught the other two - it increased agility and power and made the blade seem as if was an extension of the arm.  
  
Sinbad's breath caught at the sight of Maeve. Her hair was unbound and flowing in the breeze. Her outfit today consisted of a pair of black leather trousers that fit like a second skin and a short black sleeveless top. He noticed that ever since her return, she no longer wore her previous dress; instead, she now projected a more daring image.  
  
He also noticed that the dreams had stopped coming ever since Maeve's arrival. He was disappointed at first but then he decided that it was a good thing since the combined exposure to those dreams every night and Maeve's presence during the day would be enough to make his brain turn to mush.  
  
The crew cheered raucously at the two fighters, as they displayed almost unparallel skill. Each parried and feinted, dazzling the onlookers with superb moves and lightning fast reflexes.  
  
Just then, the wind picked up, and the fight stopped as the sailors scurried to secure the riggings and guide the ship to the next port.  
  
************************************  
  
They disembarked and proceeded to explore the island that they had stopped at. The place was absolutely beautiful and totally deserted. There were no people there at all and the crew was very puzzled.  
  
"Sinbad," Firouz asked, "When we passed here a year ago, this was a thriving merchant island. Where is everyone now?"  
  
Sinbad frowned. "I wish I knew...,"  
  
He turned to Maeve. She had a worried look on her face. "  
  
"What is it?" he asked gently.  
  
"Something's wrong here, Sinbad. I can feel it."  
  
"So can I," Dermott added, standing next to his sister. "It's as if there's something...watching...us."  
  
******************************************  
  
Bryn had taken Maeve's advice and stopped wearing her short, yellow dress constantly. Today, she was attired in a pair of brown trousers that flared and ended at her knees along with a long sleeved, striped cotton shirt that she tied at her midriff. She had to admit that the new outfits created a lot more freedom of movement and less embarrassing moments.  
  
She wandered through the grassy field of the island, enthralled by the variety of flowers and their brilliant colors. She bent to pluck a particularly gorgeous one in a multitude of pinks and purples, when suddenly, a hand came from below the earth and grabbed her wrist.  
  
She was so startled that she screamed and began struggling to free herself. The thing's grip was unbelievably strong and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.  
  
She blasted it with a bolt of magic but it seemed to have no effect. Bryn could feel herself being pulled into the earth and she began to panic.  
  
Just as she was up to her waist in the dirt, a golden fireball hit the hand. The grip loosened slightly, enough for Bryn to pull free. She ran to Maeve and the two of them drew their swords and advanced on the spot.  
  
Sinbad's voice stopped them. "Just what do the two of you think that you are doing?" Behind him, Rongar shook his head. The captain was in for it now...  
  
They spun around. "We are going to take care of this thing," Maeve informed him, a sweet smile plastered on her face.  
  
"It's too dangerous," Sinbad said. "You should leave that to me."  
  
Maeve's eyes flashed. "Oh really?" she purred. "And what makes you so sure that you can handle this better than we can? The fact that you've got hair on your chest?"  
  
Behind them, Dermott made a noise that sounded suspiciously like stifled laughter. Sinbad glared at Maeve and advanced on the two women.  
  
"Maeve, I've had it up to here with your attitude," he snarled.  
  
"I wouldn't HAVE an attitude if you weren't so bloody pig-headed!" she yelled.  
  
The crew realized that they would be safer staying out of this. The thing that tried to capture Bryn was totally forgotten in their fascination of watching Sinbad and Maeve clash.  
  
Two weeks of frustration had taken their toll on the captain and the sorceress and they both had to let off some steam.  
  
The only thing the crew could do was watch and hope that Maeve didn't fry him.  
  
**************************************************** 


	5. Disappearances

Chapter 5  
  
Maeve and Sinbad faced each other, anger flashing in their eyes. They were both hurting inside and too damned stubborn to say anything to each other.  
  
Two people who took risks every day with their lives were afraid to place their hearts on the line because they knew that if they were rejected, it would destroy them for sure. So instead, they kept their feelings bottled up inside - scared to take a chance.  
  
Sinbad spoke in a low, controlled voice, mindful of the avid spectators. "Maeve, you are being ridiculous. Stop this childish behavior and let's continue on our search of the island."  
  
Maeve, being the hothead that she was, seethed in anger and her voice rose, heedless of her surroundings. "I'M being childish?"  
  
"Oh no," the crew groaned simultaneously. NOW he was in for it.  
  
"I'll show you childish," Maeve ground out, her fingers conjuring a spell. Before she could launch it, Sinbad grabbed her wrists and held them above her head.  
  
'Maeve. Stop this now." He looked into her eyes and saw the anger mixed with pain there. "Please."  
  
It was the last word, softly spoken, that calmed her. The fires in her eyes banked and her body relaxed. She closed her eyes briefly and took a shaky breath. He released her hands and brushed tendrils of hair away from her face.  
  
"Sorry about that Sinbad," she whispered.  
  
He smiled. "Don't be. We both lost our heads for a moment there."  
  
She raised her face to his. Amber eyes met silver-blue and they both stopped breathing for a moment. Their faces were so close, they were practically touching and if any one of them even moved an inch......  
  
Shouts of alarm from the crew drew them out of the spell. They spun around to see what looked like a large black shadow silently gliding across the floor towards them. As it approached the crew, it split off into four parts and headed in the direction of the four people associated with magic on the ship. Maeve, Sinbad, Dermott and Bryn.  
  
"Oh no!" Bryn groaned. "Why does it always have to be us?'  
  
Dermott couldn't help but laugh as he assumed a defensive position next to the dark-haired woman. "Luck, darling, pure luck."  
  
"I think it's our popularity," Maeve tossed out from behind them. "I also think that it would be a good idea if we stuck close together and fought them so that we can back each other up if we need to."  
  
The other three nodded and Sinbad signaled the rest of the crew to cover their backs. They used a combination of swords and magic from the three sorcerers but to no avail.  
  
The things just kept on coming and nothing deterred them. Maeve frowned as she saw that the shadows had effectively cut the four of them off from the rest of the crew and were advancing upon them.  
  
Then, in a sudden, swift move, the four things converged on the group, swallowing them up in darkness.  
  
Then, they vanished, taking the group with them.  
  
********************************************* 


	6. What's This?

Chapter 6  
  
Bryn moaned softly and opened her eyes. She was lying in the dark and on the floor. As she gradually became aware of her surroundings, she felt the weight of an arm around her waist and the soft breathing of a person behind her.  
  
She twisted her head to get a better view and almost expired on the spot when she saw Dermott sleeping next to her. They were both dressed in white - she had on a long sleeved flowing gown and he wore some sort of knee length robe over trousers.  
  
How much did I drink last night? she wondered groggily. Then the past events came flooding back to her. Maeve? Sinbad? Where are they? She looked frantically about, dislodging Dermott's hand but could barely see in the darkness of her surroundings. She conjured up a ball of light and surveyed the place. It seemed to be a cave of some sort.  
  
A groan from Dermott drew her attention and she turned to him. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the blood running from a gash in Dermott's forehead. She knelt beside him and took his face in her hands. He must have hit it when the things dropped him, she thought. She ripped the sleeve of her shirt and used it to gently wipe the blood away.  
  
The wound was not as bad as she had first though - head wounds bled like crazy and he would have a hell of a headache when he awoke, but it wasn't life threatening in the least.  
  
She lightly tapped his cheek. "Dermott. Wake up."  
  
He mumbled something under his breath and turned his face away. She smacked him harder.  
  
"Wake up!"  
  
His eyes snapped open and she stared into the green depths that were momentarily dazed and confused. Then they focused on her and he scowled.  
  
"Great. I get stuck with the wicked witch of the east," he growled.  
  
Bryn shot him a cold glare and turned away before she could hit him over his head...  
  
"Just get up," she said. "We need to find your sister and Sinbad."  
  
"You mean they're not here?" Dermott sat up swiftly, then clutched his head and groaned. "Oh, I feel like I want to die."  
  
He got unsteadily to his feet and braced his hand against the wall of the cave. She watched him and managed to dredge up some sympathy. She supported him by wrapping an arm around his waist and began to lead him towards the entrance of the cave.  
  
***************************************  
  
Sinbad opened his eyes and looked around. He was lying next to some sort of lake - the strangest thing was that the water was a swirling, purple- pink color. He got to his feet and looked around.  
  
It was then that he noticed that he was dressed in some sort of strange robe, over a pair of loose pants. He studied the clothes and then shrugged. At least he wasn't naked.  
  
His eyes fell on a splash of white in the grass and he made his way to where Maeve lay. He cradled her head in his arms. "Maeve?" Slowly, she opened her eyes. She blinked and then closed them again. When she focused on him once more, he saw shock and fear registered there.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked.  
  
Sinbad almost dropped her. "Maeve, don't you recognize me?" he protested.  
  
"Maeve? Is that my name? It's pretty." She looked around in wonderment. "Where are we?"  
  
"Don't you remember anything?" Sinbad questioned, rapidly becoming more and more alarmed. "Do you remember me?"  
  
She slanted a glance at him. "Oh no, I would have surely remembered YOU."  
  
Her tone of voice and the look that she gave had him instantly growing hard but he forced it down. Now was NOT the time or the place.  
  
"Maeve, I'm Sinbad. I'm the captain of the ship that you are sailing on. We - you, me, Bryn and your brother Dermott were captured but some...things. I have no idea where the other two are but we need to find them as soon as possible."  
  
He stood up and pulled her to her feet. "Now, tell me what you remember."  
  
She looked around. "Nothing personal - at least nothing much. I have faint images of a hawk, a ship, and a large white room but nothing else."  
  
Sinbad's breath caught. A white room? Could it be possible?  
  
While he was pondering this, Maeve walked up to him and lightly touched her fingers to his chest. Instantly, he tensed up, praying for her to stop before he couldn't.  
  
That blow to her head must have somehow caused her to lose her inhibitions or something - or caused a dormant part of her personality to arise, he thought. He glanced warily at her. Allah, I hope she doesn't - what am I saying - I hope she DOES get over it soon!  
  
She studied him out of those incredible eyes. He swallowed hard and took a step back. As much as he wanted her, he wanted it to be when they were both in possession of their senses.  
  
She wandered to the waters' edge and scooped up some water in the palm of her hand. She drank it before her could stop her and he shouted in alarm. "Don't Maeve!"  
  
"Why?" she looked at him. "It's delicious. Incredible really. I want to swim in it."  
  
He gaped as she began pulling her long dress over her head and he quickly ran to her side and pulled it down. "Not now. We need to find the others."  
  
She pouted and reluctantly nodded. Sinbad looked heavenward. This side of Maeve was going to be more trouble than he had bargained for. He wanted her back to normal........ 


	7. Dermott and Bryn

Chapter 7  
  
Dermott braced himself against the cave wall and shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun. He turned to Bryn, who was right behind him. He saw that they were on an incline and he started to climb down, extending a helping hand to Bryn in order for her to follow.  
  
She stared suspiciously at his outstretched fingers. Dermott rolled his eyes heavenward.  
  
"Oh for crying out loud Bryn!" he exclaimed. "I'm not going to push you off!"  
  
Bryn hid a smile at that and placed her hand in his. His fingers tightened over hers - almost imperceptibly - and he placed his other hand around her waist as he assisted her.  
  
It took them about an hour to get to flat ground and when they did, they stared in wonder at the land around them. It was uncommonly beautiful - the grass was a brilliant blue-green, and to their left, ran a small river with strange, swirling, pink-purple waters. Every now and again, a fish would jump out of the water, scales glittering in the late afternoon sunlight.  
  
Dermott and Bryn looked at each other in bewilderment. Bryn was the first to speak.  
  
"What is this place?" she wondered aloud.  
  
Dermott slanted a glance at her. "I wish I could tell you," he said softly.  
  
She looked up into his deep, green eyes and for a second, her breath caught. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before Dermott cleared his throat and turned away.  
  
"I think we should start looking for the others," he told her.  
  
Bryn nodded and started walking ahead of him, her mind in a turmoil.  
  
*****************************  
  
Dermott sighed and stooped next to the river. He was incredibly thirsty but they had decided that the water could be dangerous. Now, however, he was under the belief that he'd rather be poisoned than die of thirst.  
  
He reached a hand down into the water, only to be startled by Bryn's voice behind him. "What are you doing?"  
  
He twisted his head to face her. "I'm tired and thirsty. I need something to drink."  
  
"But what if the water kills you, Dermott?"  
  
"It's a chance I have to take Bryn," he stated firmly. "We will die if we don't drink anyway, so why not take a chance?" He looked up at her. "But I don't want you drinking any until we see if something happens to me first, okay?"  
  
She nodded and he scooped up a handful of water and drank it. She watched, her heart in her throat as he did. As he drank, he closed his eyes in ecstasy. The water was unbelievable - cool and soothing and the most delicious thing that he had ever tasted.  
  
He drank his fill and stood up to face Bryn. She had a worried look on her face and he couldn't help but smile. Even though he didn't always like her very much, he found her concern for him rather touching.  
  
They waited for an hour and when they saw no adverse side effects, Bryn went ahead and drank from the river. She sighed in happiness as she tasted the water and splashed some on her face.  
  
The water looked incredibly inviting and after their long walk, both Bryn and Dermott were dirty and sweaty. She longed for a bath but didn't want to take one in front of her companion. She deliberated for a while and cleanliness won out over modesty. She turned to Dermott.  
  
"Would you mind terribly if I asked you for some privacy so that I could take a bath?" she asked.  
  
He nodded. "Not at all. Go right ahead. But after you're done, I want one too."  
  
He stood up. "I'll go take a look around," he said. "Hopefully there'll be some sign of Sinbad or my sister. I'll be back in thirty minutes."  
  
As soon as he was out of eyesight, she stripped off the now filthy white gown and dived into the river. She laughed aloud with pleasure and proceeded to scrub herself thoroughly. She emerged fifteen minutes later and shivered slightly in the cool evening breeze. She wrung out her long hair and slipped the long dress over her still wet body. She was unaware that the fabric clung to her curves and that the water on her body made the dress almost transparent.  
  
Dermott almost swallowed his tongue as he walked back into the encampment. She had just started a fire and sat in front of the flames, warming herself. She looked incredible, with her long, dark hair still damp from her bath, the firelight gilding her features and her dress.....he took a deep breath. The gauzy material was molded to her lovingly and he could see every indentation and line of her body.  
  
She turned to him and smiled. "Are you ready?"  
  
His brain was on lockdown. "For what?" he asked stupidly.  
  
She looked askance at him. "Your bath? Didn't you say that you wanted one too?"  
  
Dermott thought wryly that a cold pool was EXACTLY the thing that he needed at the moment. He nodded and took off the long robe that he wore, hanging it on a tree branch. He turned and grinned at Bryn. "Promise not to look?"  
  
Bryn nodded faintly. This was the first time that she had seen Dermott even remotely unclothed and she was impressed. He was not overly muscular - rather - he was well defined, with sculpted arms, chest and torso. His skin was a rich caramel color and she had to clench her fists to keep from reaching out to touch him. She now understood why it was that the women in the ports and villages flocked to him like bees drawn to honey.  
  
She turned quickly as his fingers went to the waistband of his pants and she heard him chuckle. Her cheeks flamed red and she tried to control her blushing. She heard the splash of the water as he dove in and his short yell as he realized how cold it was.  
  
She smiled at that and put the pheasant that they had caught during their explorations on a spit to roast. She was starving and as the delicious scent from the cooking meat arose, her stomach growled in response.  
  
"Isn't someone hungry?" Dermott's teasing voice came from behind her.  
  
She spun around and looked up at him. His dark gold hair was wet and slicked back and his eyes, in the flickering firelight, were an even more intense shade of green. Like the forest at night, she thought.  
  
He had left the shirt off and she could see the rivulets of water running down his chest. Bryn swallowed and turned away to check the bird.  
  
Unfortunately, she was so distracted, that she ended up burning her fingers on the roasting meat.  
  
"Oh! Ow!" she cried, pulling her hand back.  
  
Dermott flew to her side and took her hand in his. "Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "Yeah. I burnt myself. Guess I wasn't paying attention. Stupid, really."  
  
"You may be many things, Bryn - aggravating, hard-headed and stubborn - but stupid is NOT one of them." With that statement, Dermott released her hand and returned to his seat.  
  
Bryn stared into the fire, pondering the words of her companion. A smile slowly curved over her lips. So she wasn't stupid, huh?  
  
Next to her, Dermott was mentally hitting himself. What had possessed him to actually speak nicely to her? Actually, he thought, what's our reason for fighting in the first place? Ever since I was restored to my human form, we've been clashing and for no particular reason. He raised his head and studied the female next to him.  
  
She was not the stunning beauty that his sister was - rather -she had more perky, elvish features. Her chocolate brown eyes hinted at a wealth of pain below the calm demeanor that she often portrayed. Sometimes, he wondered what had caused her such unhappiness in life and what had happened to her before she joined Sinbad and the crew.  
  
Bryn was aware of Dermott's scrutiny but she refused to turn her head. Knowing that if she so much as looked at the man sitting next to her, she would most likely do something to embarrass herself, she studiously examined her fingernails.  
  
Realizing that she hadn't practiced her magic in a while, she concentrated and followed Maeve's instructions, conjuring up a yellow ball of light in her hand.  
  
Dermott jumped and turned to her. "Why are you creating a fireball? Do you see something?"  
  
Bryn shook her head. "No. I'm practicing my magic. Now that we don't have Maeve at the moment, we need to keep on top of things."  
  
He nodded in assent. "That makes sense." He stood and offered his hand to her. "Come. We'll practice together."  
  
Bryn looked up at him, placed her fingers in his palm and stood.  
  
***************************** 


	8. Sinbad and Maeve

Chapter 8  
  
As night descended, Sinbad found a place close to a small stream where he and Maeve could set up camp. They were both exhausted from searching the area for any sign of human life.  
  
Sinbad had caught some strange-looking animal and they prepared the carcass for dinner. They built up a fire and placed the animal on the spit to cook.  
  
While they were waiting, he turned to her and said, "Now Maeve, you've got to try and remember something. We may find ourselves up against something and could need your magic to help us out."  
  
Maeve frowned as she studied the flames. "You told me that I can do magic and cast spells but I don't feel very magical. Do you actually know how I used to do these spells and stuff?"  
  
Sinbad thought about all the times that she had used her magic and smiled wryly. He should have spent more time concentrating on how she was performing the spell rather than gaping at her body.  
  
She wondered what had put the smile on his face. His eyes had gone dreamy as if he was remembering a happy incident in his past.  
  
She could not believe that she had forgotten this man. He was the epitome of everything that she had ever dreamed of in a man - strong, handsome and caring - how was it possible that she did not know him?  
  
She struggled to remember anything about him at all but could only come up with a blank. She clenched her fists in frustration. She hated not knowing anything about herself. Having no identity was not exactly something that she could get accustomed to....  
  
Sinbad studied the play of emotions over Maeve's face. He could almost feel the anger and pain as they radiated in waves off of her. He sighed softly, wishing that he could do something to ease her torment.  
  
She looked so beautiful and so forlorn sitting there, her long hair spilling over her shoulders, catching the firelight and turning to molten gold. She had drawn her legs up to her neck and rested her chin on her knees. She had a lost expression on her face and he couldn't resist.  
  
Drawing near to her, he toyed with a long lock of her hair. "What's on your mind?" he asked quietly.  
  
She laughed bitterly. "What mind?" She raised her eyes up to his. "I have no past, Sinbad. No identity."  
  
He gently touched her cheek. "You DO have a past Maeve. You are someone. It will take some time but never fear - you will remember who are."  
  
A tear pooled in the corner of her eye. She sniffed and turned her face away. He draped his arm over her shoulder and she leaned into him, trying to use him - her only solid link to her past - for comfort.  
  
This, for Sinbad, was a new experience. This softer, more depending side of Maeve was enjoyable in little doses - but he still wished that she would regain her memory soon. There were things that he needed to tell her - feelings that he had denied for so long - and - now that they were together, and alone, he longed to vent his feelings and tell her what was in his heart.  
  
He didn't know how she might react to his words in her vulnerable state though. She might believe that he was trying to take advantage of her and that would just lead to further conflict.  
  
He sighed and lay back on the grass. He folded his arms below his head and stared up at the clear night sky. Next to him, Maeve was also looking at the stars and wondering how her life could have gotten so out of control.  
  
She snuck a glance at the man next to her, then exhaled softly and lay down. Turning her back to him, she quickly fell into an exhausted sleep, tormented by nightmares.  
  
********************************  
  
The tall figure garbed in dark blue raised his hands. They were long and thin, like claws and at the end of each finger was a wicked-looking talon. He began chanting a spell, words of death and destruction.  
  
He smiled as he did so, knowing that he had in his grasp the four people who would have been able to stop his evil plans.  
  
His eyes dimmed slightly as he thought of them. As long as they were alive, they would be a danger to him. He needed to get rid of the quartet first and then proceed.  
  
He knew that the powerful sorceress had lost her memory - he had ordered his minions to drop her carelessly to the ground in hopes of killing her. Instead, some vestige of her magic had managed to save her life - although it was not enough to prevent her from striking her head as she landed. He had left a minion of his to observe them and he had rubbed his bony hands in glee when it was reported that she was not even able to recall her own name.  
  
It was also a delight for him to know that the captain was with her because he knew how much the loss of his beloved's memory would pain him. Looking onto her eyes and knowing that she did not recall who he was, seemed to be a fitting punishment for the young sailor who caused an impediment to his plans.  
  
How he would have enjoyed seeing the torment in Sinbad's eyes as he looked at the sorceress, wondering if she would ever remember him again.  
  
He laughed aloud, and began to plot.  
  
******************************************* 


	9. When You're Gone

Chapter 9  
  
Maeve awoke panting harshly. She had been dreaming - visions of death and pain had surrounded her. She glanced to her right where Sinbad lay, still asleep. She silently stood and walked to the trees in front of her.  
  
She could feel that they were being watched - how she knew that, she couldn't say - yet she felt cold because she knew that what watched her was inherently evil.  
  
She considered awaking Sinbad, but she refused to rely on the sailor for yet another thing in this horrible adventure that they were having.  
  
She picked up the long, intricately carved sword that Sinbad had told her belonged to her and proceeded into the woods.  
  
Sinbad awoke with a feeling of disaster about to happen. Instinctively, he reached for Maeve and was jolted into full awareness when he realized that she wasn't there. He jumped up and grabbed his sword.  
  
Following his instincts, he made his way towards where the woods were the thickest. There, he found a piece of Maeve's clothes that had gotten snagged on the grasping branches.  
  
Satisfied now that he was on the right track, he followed the trail, praying that he was not too late.  
  
**************************************  
  
Dermott awoke gasping in terror. "Maeve!" he cried out in fright.  
  
Bryn reached out and touched his hand. "What is it?" she asked in alarm.  
  
He struggled to his feet. "Maeve's in danger. We have to go NOW!"  
  
Bryn got up as well. "But how do we find her?"  
  
"Don't worry," was the grim reply. "We will."  
  
**********************************************  
  
Maeve was berating herself for being dumb enough to go into the woods by herself. Everywhere she turned, there seemed to be a pair of red eyes staring at her from the darkness.  
  
She constantly scanned her surroundings, looking for any sign of hostile creatures. She had lost sight of the campsite a long time ago and she was beginning to think that it was about time she turned back.  
  
Her mind turned to Sinbad and how he had looked while he was asleep. In slumber, he looked almost boyish - with all other stress erased from his features. It was her last thought before something slammed into her from behind, flinging her against a tree.  
  
Dazed, Maeve got up shakily, raising a hand to her head. The place went black for a few seconds and she realized that her memories had come rushing back!  
  
She was overjoyed but was aware that now was not the time to celebrate. She raised her sword to the ready and prepared to face whatever it was that had attacked her.  
  
What she saw stopped her dead. There were five black, taloned beasts that were at least seven feet tall. They stared at her, malice gleaming in their glowing red eyes.  
  
She swallowed and prepared to create a fireball. As the first attacked, she hit it with the glowing ball of magic, squarely in the eyes. It emitted a ghastly scream and disappeared.  
  
She smiled triumphantly. "Still want more boys?" she taunted the other four.  
  
They charged her.  
  
Igniting her blade, the way she had taught Bryn and Dermott, Maeve proceeded to hack and slice her way through her attackers.  
  
Five minutes later, it was all over.  
  
She stood, panting over the bodies of her enemies and raised a victorious fist to the sky, laughing.  
  
That was how Sinbad found her moments later as he burst upon the scene, drawn by the sounds of a battle.  
  
Maeve turned sparkling amber eyes to him. "Sinbad!" she cried joyously. "I remember everything!"  
  
She saw his beloved silver-blue eyes light up as he began to reply, then the horror that overtook his features.  
  
She felt a sharp pain in her back and as the blackness came down on her, the last thing that she heard was his voice calling her name.  
  
**************************  
  
Sinbad had been trekking through the woods with no sign of Maeve. Then, to his left somewhere, he had heard a scream that chilled his blood. It had sounded unearthly, inhuman.....  
  
He had quickened his pace, hoping that Maeve was all right. As he got closer, he heard the sounds of fighting and he had broken into a run.  
  
As he burst onto the scene, he saw his sorceress standing over the bodies of some monsters, looking for all the world like an avenging angel.  
  
She had seen him and smiled. "Sinbad!" she had called to him. "I remember everything!"  
  
He had started to smile and move towards her, when he noticed the figure garbed in a long, dark robe behind her.  
  
As if in a dream, he saw the person raised a dagger and plunge it viciously into her back. As his beloved fell, Sinbad cried out her name in anguished disbelief.  
  
The assailant emitted a triumphant laugh and disappeared.  
  
************************  
  
Dermott cried out in pain and fell to his knees. Bryn was next to him in an instant.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, concerned.  
  
"Maeve," he gasped. "Something's wrong. I can't feel her anymore."  
  
Bryn felt the cold fingers of fear touch her heart. She knew that although Dermott and his sister no longer shared the mind link, some residue of it remained, allowing them to keep each other close to their hearts. If Dermott no longer felt his sister then Maeve was either grievously wounded or......  
  
She shook her head. NO! Maeve must have just been knocked unconscious or maybe she had found a way out of the world that they were in.  
  
She brightened and suggested it to Dermott. He shot her a quelling glare. "And what about my pain?" he asked. "It was in my lower back. Some coward stabbed my sister in her back." His green eyes blazed. "I'll kill the son- of-a-bitch."  
  
"Can you stand now?" she asked.  
  
He nodded and got to his feet. He scanned the area and turned to her. "It's not far again. Come on."  
  
*******************************  
  
Sinbad ran to Maeve's side and knelt next to her prone body. He cradled her head in his arms and smoothed her hair away from her pale face.  
  
One look at her still features confirmed his worst fears. She was dead. Gone from his life, this time forever.  
  
He cried out his anguish as the heavens opened unexpectedly and the rain poured down on them. It seemed as if the entire world wept with him for the loss of the beautiful redhead.  
  
He buried his face in her soft, fragrant curls and sobbed heartbrokenly. That was how Dermott and Bryn found him as they came to the spot twenty minutes later, soaked and miserable.  
  
Dermott cried out in denial as he saw the still form of his sister and Bryn's hand flew up to her mouth in horror.  
  
Dermott ran to the two figures and pushed Sinbad aside, gathering the body into his arms. He raised his face skywards and yelled in anger, pain and frustration.  
  
He turned to Sinbad, his emerald eyes afire with the need for vengeance. "Who did this?"  
  
Sinbad was inconsolable. "I-I don't know. It was a tall man in a dark cloak."  
  
"I will find him," Dermott swore. "I'll carve out his heart."  
  
Suddenly, Maeve's body was awash in a soft golden light. It grew and grew until the three mourners had to shield their eyes. When the glow faded, she was gone.  
  
************************** 


	10. Ghost Lover

Chapter 10  
  
Bryn looked worriedly at the two men sitting by the river. It had been two days since Maeve's death and her companions acted as if they were barely going through the motions of living.  
  
Sinbad and Dermott had hardly eaten and they were both sunken-eyed and hollow-cheeked. They seemed to have aged ten years in the past forty-eight hours and she was beginning to fear for their health.  
  
Sinbad sat on the grass, his thoughts far away. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Maeve's deathly pale face as she lay in his arms and then how she was taken from him even in death as her physical form was transported away.  
  
Dermott glared despondently at the water. His beautiful sister was gone and he felt her loss keenly. It was hard to imagine life without her - hard to believe that she would no longer be there to laugh with him and tease him.  
  
He remembered her as a baby, her riotous hair bouncing all over as she laughed and raised her chubby hands to take a toy from him.  
  
He remembered how he had felt when she had been born - how the little girl with the peaches and cream complexion and feisty temperament had enchanted him.  
  
She had proved to be a handful to take care of as she was constantly exploring and getting herself in scrapes which he, subsequently, as the older brother had to get her out of.  
  
A tear slid down his cheek. He buried his face in his hands and cried silently.  
  
Bryn watched Dermott, as he wept, his body wracked by quiet sobs. Next to him, Sinbad had gotten up abruptly and walked off into the trees - most likely to grieve in privacy.  
  
She knew that the captain regretted not telling Maeve how he had really felt about her - now, he would never be able to.  
  
**************************  
  
Sinbad walked into the quiet, leafy shade of the forest. He leaned against a tree and raised his face to the sky. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he shuddered with the force of his grief.  
  
Like Dermott, memories flooded over him. He recalled the first time he had seen her - studying with Dim Dim - he had been captivated from that moment.  
  
He had been unable to believe his luck when Dim Dim had told him that Maeve would be joining them on their quest to save the princess and although he had regretted the loss of the old wizard, he had never been sorry that the consequences of losing Dim Dim had been the gaining of Maeve.  
  
He smiled wistfully as he remembered their first kiss - the day that they had defeated the Vorgon. He had been so relieved to see her safe and unharmed that he had not stopped to think - just reacted instinctively when she had hurled herself in his arms.  
  
The kiss had been everything that he had dreamed of - unfortunately, it was much to short and the horror on her face afterwards had quelled his desire - until he had seen how jealous she was of the other woman who had kissed him shortly after.  
  
He had teased her about receiving better kisses in the recent past and had delighted in the way her creamy complexion had flushed a fiery red.  
  
Then, there was the battle against Scratch and Rumina's forces in which he came so close to declaring his love for her.  
  
Feruse's interruption had annoyed him no end and he had promised himself to tell her his true feelings if they survived, but when everything was over, he, who had faced demons without fear was too afraid to bare his heart to the woman he loved.  
  
And now...... It was too late.  
  
"Maeve," he murmured. "I'm sorry. I never got the chance to tell you."  
  
"What?" came the voice behind him.  
  
Sinbad yelped in surprise and whirled to face the object of his thoughts.  
  
"M-Maeve?" he asked, stunned.  
  
She winked at him. "Most of me," she replied.  
  
He moved to hug her - and fell straight through.  
  
Her enchanting laughter rang out. "I'm dead, remember?"  
  
"You're a ghost!" he gasped.  
  
She raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Genius! I always knew that there was a brain behind that pretty face."  
  
He couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you here Maeve?"  
  
"I need to be here Sinbad," she said seriously. "I cannot rest until the person who killed me is defeated."  
  
"And then, you'll be gone forever?" he asked sadly.  
  
She walked and stopped in front of him. "Who knows? I might forever roam the earth in this form." She smiled. "Haunt you forever....."  
  
His lips curved upwards. "That sounds like a plan."  
  
She laughed again and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Strange huh? For me to spend all that time away from you only to die two weeks after I return." Her smile turned sad. "I'll never get to feel your touch ever again."  
  
He lowered his eyes, before the tears that her words had invoked could show. He, more than anyone else, knew how she was feeling at the moment.  
  
He could have kicked himself for not telling her of his feelings for her when she was alive - but - foolishly - he had believed that they would have been granted all of the time that they needed.  
  
Now he realized that love and life were things that waited for no one and that if the moment wasn't seized when it arose, then it might be lost forever.  
  
He raised his face to hers and brought his hand up to hover over her cheek. She turned her face into his palm and although he could not feel her, the poignant gesture warmed his heart.  
  
She pulled away and gestured for him to follow her. "Come, Sinbad. We have work to do!"  
  
********************************* 


	11. Reunion

Chapter 11  
  
Bryn had draped her arm around Dermott's shoulders and was trying to comfort him as well as she was able, when Sinbad burst upon them.  
  
She looked up at him and did a double take when she realized that he was SMILING! She frowned - the poor guy had obviously gone out of his mind with grief. It was then that she noticed what looked like a person standing behind them. A person with long, red-gold hair.....  
  
She gasped. "Maeve?" she exclaimed.  
  
Next to her, Dermott's head whipped up savagely. He stared in amazement at his sister - but his keen eyes noted a difference to her. She was slightly transparent and there was a shimmer to her that made her look a trifle unearthly. He slowly stood and walked to her side.  
  
He looked at her sadly - love in his dark green eyes. "You're still dead aren't you?"  
  
She smiled up at him, regret in every line of her body. "Yes."  
  
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly. When he reopened them, she could see the effort it took for him to control his emotions. Pride in her older brother swamped her - he was strong - he would survive this.  
  
Her gaze fell on Bryn and she grinned at the other woman. She knew that her brother was in good hands - although the couple in front of her did not realize it as yet.  
  
She turned back to Sinbad, who was watching the scene quietly. She raised an eyebrow at him and he quirked the left side of his mouth in response, causing a deep dimple to show. Maeve felt a jolt of desire and ruthlessly squashed it. She was DEAD for crying out loud! The last thing that she should be doing was having sexual cravings for the living!  
  
Sinbad wondered what had put that frown on the sorceress' face. She looked as if she had swallowed something sour. He shook his head. Even dead and slightly transparent, it was still a task for him to understand her.  
  
He opened his mouth to speak before he was once again distracted by thoughts of her. "Maeve, do you have any idea who it was that killed you?" he asked.  
  
She frowned in concentration. "No - but he seemed familiar somehow. There was something about him - something that I can't quite place my finger on........"  
  
Then her eyes brightened. "He used the same type of magic that I had encountered only once before - when I was training with Dim Dim. It was peculiar, oppressive, and I had the impression that using his power hurt him greatly."  
  
Dermott raised an eyebrow. "So this guy is someone you know then? Who is he?"  
  
Maeve shook her head regretfully. "Sorry, I can't place it."  
  
"No matter sis," Dermott jumped to his feet. "We'll find out who it is soon enough."  
  
She laughed. "Whoa soldier." She glided to his side. "First, you have to see about yourself. You and the sailor across there look as if you haven't eaten in days."  
  
"They haven't," Bryn piped up. "Stubborn men."  
  
"Bryn!" Dermott exclaimed. "Don't tell her that! Now there'll be no end to her mothering!"  
  
Maeve grinned at him. "Don't be an ass, brother dear. I'd never nag you to eat. I'd just shove the food down your throat."  
  
"Hard to see you doing that sis," Dermott snickered. Bryn and Sinbad smiled as they watched the interaction, knowing that the best way for the siblings to deal with their fate was for them to playfully insult each other.  
  
The hardest thing was knowing that time was limited and that this would be the last that they ever saw the woman who had touched their lives in so many ways.  
  
Bryn looked upon her as a mentor - a teacher who was willing to devote countless hours selflessly training her to develop her powers. She also considered Maeve a friend and confidante.  
  
Dermott's little sister held a big part of his heart - and his life. It was she who had kept him safe for the years when he was a hawk and she had devoted the main years of her life studying for a way to restore him. Her loving actions had made him feel humble and had made him realize what a gift he had been given.  
  
And Sinbad......he could only look at his ladylove with regret and yearning. Now that he was finally able to open his heart and admit his feelings for the beauty, she was about to leave. He was heartbroken, thinking about the children that they would never have and the love that they would be unable to share.  
  
Maeve looked up just then and caught the wistful look ion his face. She smiled softly at him and his breath caught at the tender expression that she wore.  
  
He turned his face away and rose slightly unsteadily to his feet. "I think I'll go scout around for dinner," he said shakily.  
  
The trio watched him go - a myriad of feeling etched across their features. They each knew the pain that he was feeling at that moment and each longed to lessen that hurt in some way.  
  
Finally, it was Dermott who stood.  
  
"I'll be back shortly," he told them.  
  
They watched him go off, his lean body disappearing quickly in the woods as he easily covered ground with his graceful stride.  
  
Maeve turned to Bryn. "He'll be alright. You all will."  
  
"We will miss you terribly Maeve," Bryn murmured. "you know how much we've come to rely on you."  
  
"Yes," Maeve agreed. "I do." She looked at Bryn. "But honey, you've got to realize that I would not have been here forever. I expected to die soon - in fact - I knew that my time here was going to be a short one." She grinned suddenly. "I just didn't expect it to be THIS short."  
  
Bryn found herself smiling back. One thing that she loved about Maeve was her ability to laugh in any situation and turn it around to make the burden lighter.  
  
Together, they sat and talked as they waited for the men to return.  
  
****************************** 


	12. Meeting A Killer

Chapter 12  
  
"Sinbad?" Dermott called as he pushed his way through the foliage.  
  
"Over here," was the subdued reply.  
  
Dermott found the captain sitting morosely on a rock, staring at the stream. He walked to his side and sat next to the other man.  
  
"It hurts huh?" he asked, softly.  
  
Sinbad inhaled sharply and glanced at his green-eyed companion. "More than you can imagine," he murmured.  
  
Dermott studied his fingers. "She's hurting too, you know. We all are."  
  
Sinbad turned to him, hhis silver-blue eyes blazing. "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think that I can't look at all of you and see something of what I am feeling inside? Why do you think I left? All that pain and sorrow....." he broke off and buried his face in his hands. "I don't know how I'm going to live without her Dermott."  
  
Dermott ran his hand through his hair. "Sinbad - we all feel the way you do. But do you want Maeve to know that? Do you want her to be unable to pass on peacefully, because she is bearing the weight of our selfish grief on her shoulders? I love my sister and I am going to miss her. It feels as if a part of me has been ripped out and bleeding....." his voice broke on a sob.  
  
He composed himself and continued, "But for her sake I have to be strong. The time for tears will come later and when it does - I'll drown in my sorrow. But until then - I'll be there for her while she needs me, giving her my love. Something that I think you should be doing too. It's not too late."  
  
Sinbad looked up, shame and guilt on his face. "You're right Dermott. I should have acted more maturely towards this situation. Thank you for showing me that there is always still time."  
  
He jumped off the rock and offered his hand to his companion.. "Let's go and find that person who caused us all of this grief in the first place!"  
  
************************  
  
Maeve and Bryn were joined by the men shortly after. They were stunned to see Sinbad looking almost like his normal self - and it showed. Dermott and the captain laughed at their expressions and the sound was like music to Maeve's ears.  
  
She stood and moved towards them. "So boys - what's the verdict?"  
  
"We try to find this guy - lure him out in the open," Dermott replied.  
  
"Oh, but I don't believe that it will be necessary," came a voice from behind them. The group spun around and stared at the person in the long robe that confronted them.  
  
He looked to be about three hundred years old - with wrinkles and scares puckering over the parts of his face and arms that were exposed. Bryn made an involuntary sound of disgust and his eyes - blazing orbs of the palest gray, stared at her with hatred.  
  
"Yes," he hissed. "Scorn me because I'm not as pretty as your boys over there." He narrowed his eyes. "Once I could have rivaled them though. Once I was known as Rayan the Fair. But my beauty was the price that I had to pay for my magic. It was a sacrifice that I was more than willing to do - beauty for power." He studied them. "Would it that I could have both. I would be unstoppable."  
  
Maeve snorted indelicately. "You'd still be a pathetic waste of space," she retorted.  
  
He turned to her and laughed maliciously. "Yes, my beautiful little spitfire - maybe. But it was I who killed you? Remember? I savor the memory of how that knife felt as I twisted it in your back, how your blood gushed out and stained my fingers." He smiled. "Such power in that blood, when I tasted it - and I was the one to bring about the downfall of Master Dim Dim's favorite."  
  
Maeve gasped. "You were a student of Dim Dim's?" she questioned disbelievingly  
  
"But of course. I was the best too until the old fool said that he saw a darkness inside of me - something that could not have been tamed and banished me." He frowned fiercely. "All because of a simple suggestion that I had made about sacrificing a woman in order to make a spell stronger. No one would have even missed the tramp - she was a worker in a brothel and more than willing to do anything that I wanted her to."  
  
"Rayan, you are a monster AND a fool!" Maeve cried. "Don't you know that blood sacrifices are the most dangerous? That eventually the darkness that you have called will come to claim you?"  
  
"Oh I am well aware of the risks my sweet. But I am not afraid. I keep the company of devils and demons every night - and I have come to love them!"  
  
Dermott laughed sardonically. "I'm not surprised. With that face, you'd fit in with them perfectly."  
  
Rayan snarled. "Careful, you arrogant, young pup - before I have cause to kill you sooner than I intended."  
  
"Young pup?" Dermott repeated incredously. "Did you really call me that?" He began to laugh and Rayan's face grew even stormier.  
  
"Don't you dare mock me!" he bellowed, losing control and firing a bolt of magic at the tall man.  
  
Bryn stared in horror - knowing that there was no way for Dermott to get out of the way in time.  
  
Next to her - Maeve let out an anguished wail and instinctively extended her hand towards her brother.  
  
Golden light spilled from her fingers and collided with the dark spell that was headed in Dermott's direction. There was an intense explosion and everyone had to shield their eyes. When the light subsided, they found that Dermott was still standing, stunned but unharmed.  
  
Rayan turned a disbelieving face to Maeve. "Your powers! They're still there!"  
  
Maeve couldn't help but laugh. "Apparently," was her reply.  
  
"But....." he stammered.  
  
She faced him now - looking like the avenging angel that she was. "You tried to play God. You wanted power - the ability to choose who lived and who died. Messing around with people's lives and causing terrible pain in the process. You deserve a lifetime of suffering and torment - something that not even your twisted mind and body will be able to adjust to."  
  
Rayan simply laughed. "Don't even dream of threatening me sorceress." He waved his arms and in a heartbeat, their surroundings faded and the group found themselves standing on the edge of a volcano.  
  
From within his cloak, Rayan withdrew a shimmering crystal, which pulsed with life as it was clutched in his bony fingers. The four onlookers gasped as they recognized the material it was made of.  
  
"The fate of the entire world lies in my hand," he cackled. "This crystal is made of the same material that you two," he nodded towards Bryn and Sinbad, "wear on your wrists in the form of the bracelets."  
  
He paused to watch their expressions. "This material is extremely powerful magic - that takes the goodness inherent in someone and magnifies it. Only four people in this world have been fortunate enough to be granted the gift of wearing the bracelets and you two were amongst the lucky ones."  
  
He stopped speaking and looked at them. "Normally, I wouldn't have concerned myself with that trifle matter - but then you," he pointed at Maeve, "had to fall overboard and our hero here just had to jump in after her and end up stumbling across you." He glared at Bryn.  
  
"That upset all of my plans because then, I knew that when those two bracelets were united, they would emit a force so powerful, that I would encounter even more difficulty in summoning my demons. And so it was."  
  
He extended his arm so that the crystal hung suspended over the molten lava. "When I drop this - the last remaining orb of the material - I will be getting rid of ten more people who could have foiled my plans." He laughed in glee. "You, sailor and Bryn are the only two left with the magic - my minions have destroyed the rest,"  
  
Sinbad felt a deep, wrenching sadness at the madman's words, knowing that his friend - the warrior that had helped him liberate a country must be dead - as he also wore one of the wristbands.  
  
Fury surged through him. "You son of a bitch! How could you? And for what? What good is your so-called power now? You look like a walking corpse, people shun and hate you, you have no one who cares for you. No one."  
  
He looked Rayan in the eye. "What good is your power if you have no one to love?"  
  
Rayan stilled and for a moment they thought that he would waver. Then he seemed to gather himself and sneered at Sinbad. "Thought that you had touched my heart there huh sailor? When are you going to realize that I don't have one? Not anymore."  
  
He gestured with the crystal. "This here holds all of the world's hope and dreams. Without this, no one else will arise to stop me or others like me. And after I get id of you two, " he pointed to Sinbad and Bryn, "my plans will be complete."  
  
He whipped out his hand and grabbed Dermott, the person who happened to be standing the closest to him.  
  
Dermott struggled to free himself but could not break out of the other man's iron grasp. Maeve exclaimed in denial and took a step forward, her hand outstretched.  
  
"Ah ah," Rayan chided. "One false move - one blast of your magic might send both me and your beloved brother over the edge. We don't want that now do we?"  
  
Maeve hesitated and Rayan laughed triumphantly. "You can't best me!" he crowed. "When I throw this crystal into the lava, all will be lost and I shall be the victor!"  
  
Dermott used his distraction to lash out with his leg and send the crystal flying - straight into Bryn's hands.  
  
Rayan let out a howl of pure rage and flung Dermott aside - and over the edge. The group's collective cries of dismay were lost in the unearthly howl that Rayan emitted as he charged Bryn. She didn't think, just reacted and dodged to the side.  
  
He ended up facing Sinbad, a very angry Sinbad, who had drawn his sword and now faced him. "Fight, you piece of scum."  
  
Rayan laughed sardonically. "Do you really think that that puny sword can destroy me?" He conjured up a sword of black steel, deadly and huge. Waving it in front of Sinbad, he taunted, "Come sailor - meet your death."  
  
Out of the blue, a searing pain pierced him from behind and his fingers loosened, the blade falling to the floor.  
  
In disbelief, he spun around, to see Maeve and Bryn standing there, Bryn sword awash in a medley of golden and yellow light, sticking out of his body.  
  
They both had wicked smiles on their faces and Bryn whispered as she slowly twisted the blade, producing even more agonizing pain, "I had loved him, you bastard."  
  
Then she pulled it out and he collapsed to the floor.  
  
Shakily, the three made their way to where Dermott had been tossed aside like a piece of trash. Tears streamed down the faces of the women as the came closer and closer to the edge. The sight that greeted them when they arrived however almost caused them to faint.  
  
Dermott had fallen, yes, but he had landed on a ledge about five feet down. The fall had knocked him unconscious and he lay amidst the poisonous smoke, oblivious to the danger that he was in.  
  
So close, Maeve thought. Her brother was so close to rescue - yet the acrid smoke that covered him prevented anyone of the two people who could actually hold him from going down and retrieving him. She knew that if he stayed down there much longer, he would die. Sinbad looked at Maeve's face and saw the desolation there. Instantly, he made up his mind. He would save her brother and prevent her any further pain than necessary.  
  
Thus decided, he took a deep breath and jumped into the pit. "Sinbad?!" Maeve yelled. "What in God's name are you doing?"  
  
He couldn't answer for ear of choking so he kept quiet. Quickly and efficiently, he gathered Dermott's limp body and raised him upwards. Bryn was quick to respond and grabbed the copper-haired man by the arms and pulled him up and over the edge. After depositing him on the ground, she turned back and helped Sinbad over.  
  
He collapsed on the floor, his chest heaving for much needed air and turned to the side to see Bryn kneeling over Dermott, gently patting his cheek. He closed his eyes briefly and when they reopened, Maeve was standing next to him.  
  
"Aren't you going to check on Dermott?" he asked her softly.  
  
She smiled and shook her head. "No. He's in safe hands and I think that Bryn and Dermott need this time together to admit their feelings."  
  
"Bryn and Dermott?" Sinbad choked out disbelievingly. "Are you serious?"  
  
She did laugh then. "Perfectly."  
  
********************** 


	13. Death Is Only The Beginning

Chapter 13  
  
Dermott opened his eyes to see the worried face of Bryn hovering above him. He grinned crookedly and raised a hand to her cheek. "Hey there," he said.  
  
Her eyes widened and she jerked back as if burned. His own eyes narrowed to thin slits of green. His hand fell away and he drew his lips into a thin line. "I had no idea that my touch was so distasteful to you, though," he said in a cold voice. "My sincere apologies."  
  
Bryn stared at him and took a deep breath.  
  
It was now or never.  
  
"It's far from distasteful, love," she murmured.  
  
When he focused on her, stunned, she took the initiative and captured his mouth in an intense, soul-wrenching kiss.  
  
He was too surprised at first to respond but then, he returned her gesture with a ferocity that took her breath away.  
  
She threaded her fingers in his thick hair and gave herself wholly to the moment.  
  
****************************  
  
Sinbad and Maeve watched the scene and both began to chuckle.  
  
"I never thought that the day would come when those two would stop fighting," he remarked.  
  
"Now they can channel all of that passion into something more productive," Maeve replied.  
  
Sinbad cleared his throat and faced her. "Maeve, I have something to tell you. Something that I should have said a long time ago. I love you."  
  
Her face lit up and she was about to reply when the joy on her face turned to shock. His head whipped around to see Rayan on his feet and lurching towards them. In his hand, he held the crystal that Bryn had dropped in the battle against him.  
  
Sinbad cursed and sprang to his feet. He faced Rayan and once again brandished his sword. He started when the blade began to glow, and then looked gratefully at Maeve. She winked and focused on her brother and Bryn who had come running at the sign of danger.  
  
Rayan stood on the edge of the pit and once more extended his hand. "Now I shall drop this and I hope you all go to hell!"  
  
Sinbad lunged at the precise moment that Rayan dropped the crystal and managed to grab the precious object. Unfortunately, his momentum had him careening into the evil wizard and they both toppled over the edge.  
  
At the last moment, Sinbad twisted and tossed the crystal into Dermott's hands. It was the last they saw of him as he fell into the thick black smoke, along with Rayan.  
  
************************  
  
The group stood immobilized as they watched the death fall of the legendary sailor. Then, Maeve's pained cry jettisoned them into motion. They all ran to the edge and peered down. Nothing.  
  
Maeve began to cry - deep, body-wrenching sobs that came from her very soul. Bryn could feel the tears build in her throat and she clung tightly to Dermott.  
  
He stood as if in shock - staring down at the crater that had claimed the life of his friend. Hoping against hope that Sinbad had maybe fallen onto a ledge like he did, Dermott leaned over the edge and stared into the volcano. Nothing.  
  
Just then, the crystal in his hand began to glow. He breathed in sharply, drawing the attention of the two women. They all stared transfixed at the shining gem and then as one, their head turned to where an answering light appeared in the midst of the smoke.  
  
Sinbad emerged from the volcano, his bracelet shimmering on his wrist. He had a huge smile on his face and as he cleared the smoke, he headed straight for the spirit of Maeve.  
  
He raised his hand and caressed her cheek. "I can touch you now." The words were a promise.  
  
Her eyes widened and she brought up her trembling hand to cover his. "You - you're......"  
  
"Dead?" he supplied, and then laughed. "Strange, but I've never felt more alive."  
  
He turned to Dermott and Bryn. "The crystal will help you get back to our world. I want you two to tell the crew what happened." He paused and smiled. "And Dermott?"  
  
"Yes?" the other man replied, his green eyes bright with unshed tears.  
  
"Take command of my ship. I know that you will make a fine captain - especially with Bryn at your side."  
  
He winked at them and Bryn blushed. Sinbad laughed heartily. "Don't let her go and don't make the mistake that I did. Tell her that you love her. Every day, if possible."  
  
"But Sinbad," Dermott protested. "What if the crew won't accept me as the captain?"  
  
Sinbad chuckled and pulled the bracelet off his wrist. "Take this," he instructed his friend. "This will settle all questions."  
  
Hesitantly, Dermott reached out - expecting his hand to pass through the wristband. Instead, astonishingly, the band clamped itself around his hand and began glowing with a ferocity that was matched by Bryn's own.  
  
They looked at each other and smiled. As if of their own accord, their hands linked together and they held on tightly.  
  
Maeve smiled at them and walked into Sinbad's embrace. "I love you both," she told them. "Live long and be happy."  
  
Then the two lovers disappeared.  
  
Dermott and Bryn stood looking at the spot where their friends were for a long time. Then, Bryn gasped as she saw a bright light appear to the left of them.  
  
"Dermott! Look!" she pointed.  
  
He turned in the direction that she was showing him and started to grin.  
  
"There's our way home, love," he said, taking her hand.  
  
He felt her hesitate and turned to her, a question in his eyes.  
  
"What will, the crew say?" she wondered aloud.  
  
Dermott brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. "They will be deeply saddened, it's true, but, they will be happy to know that Sinbad and Maeve are happy now."  
  
She smiled a trifle wistfully at that. "Yes, they are. I'm glad that they got another chance at their love."  
  
Dermott took her hand and led her towards the opening. "Let's go darling. Our future awaits."  
  
Together, they walked into the light and vanished - leaving the world that had taught them so much.  
  
****************************** 


	14. The Final Chapter

Epilogue  
  
Sinbad and Maeve watched the crew as they went about their duties and prepared to leave the island.  
  
They had been present, but invisible when Dermott and Bryn had broken the news of their demise to their friends and they had felt their grief.  
  
Grief, that was tempered, when, in a final goodbye, the couple had shown up on deck and said their farewells.  
  
Now, the lovers stood, watching their family and friends sail off to new adventures, Dermott at the head and Bryn wrapped securely in his arms.  
  
Sinbad chuckled and massaged the nape of Maeve's neck. "Are you happy now?"  
  
"Mmmm," she purred in assent. "There is only one thing that would make this complete."  
  
He turned her in his arms and brushed his lips across hers. "Good grief woman! Are you never satisfied?"  
  
She grinned and murmured something in his ear, that had his face turning red. Then, he laughed. "Are you sure you can handle that?"  
  
"Well," she said, in between kisses, "if you don't have the stamina, then....." Her voice trailed off on a squeal as he lifted her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist to keep her balance.  
  
He kissed her then, intensely and passionately, twining his fingers in her long hair. When they broke apart, she smiled and then sauntered off.  
  
Knowing that he was watching, she tossed him a seductive look over her shoulder and said, "Let's go find a white room."  
  
With a laugh, she melted into the clouds.  
  
He stared, disbelievingly at the spot where she was for a few seconds, before galvanizing into action.  
  
"Wait!" he cried, following her into the sky. Her laughter surrounded him as he searched for her and a few seconds later, she flung herself into his arms, tumbling him onto his back.  
  
"You're mine," he murmured, as her mouth lowered to his.  
  
"Forever," she agreed, before they both got lost in the magic of their love.  
  
The End  
  
***************** 


End file.
